From: jdac (jdac@alphalink.com.au)
Date: Tue Dec 03 2002 - 16:08:47 EST
Howard, Bob
I would see this as a demonstration of God's grace. God's promise to
Jacb was not
contigent on Jacob's behaviour, but not does it approve of it. None
of us deserves
anything of God and all of us are as crooked as Jacob. To say that God somehow
approves of Jacob's actions or that this is an example a religious
community seeking
divine approval for action missed the fundamental point. Surely this
is that if God
can use a Jacob, then there is hope for the rest of us.
Jon
"Howard J. Van Till" wrote:
> Excerpt from a recent post:
>
> > Jacob is not simply regarded as a good con artist. Jacob stole
>his birthright
> > from his older brother through cunning and his brother's failure
>to value it.
> > Jacob is not condemned by the Lord. In fact the Lord has already predicted
> > that the older will serve the younger. Isaac himself is agitated
>over Jacob's
> > trickery but does not reassign the birthright to Esau. That suggests to me
> > that cunning is favored in God's eyes.
>
> Here's another hypothesis to consider: Human nature -- especially as it is
> expressed within a zealous religious community -- is inclined toward making
> unwarranted and boastful claims of divine approval (or divine instruction)
> for its own lust for power and control.
>
> When we saw that in the 9/11 episode, we were repulsed. Should we be any
> less repulsed when we see it incorporated in canonical text?
>
> Howard Van Till
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